我心中永遠的任太太 The Eternal Spirit of Mrs. May Jen

吳秀珠 Ann Wu

在生活中有極少數人，對你具有深刻的，永恆的影響。任太太就是這極少數之一。她是一位老闆娘，是一位教練，是一位導師，最重要的是，她是一位朋友。在林麥工作期間，從任太太身上，我學習耐心，組織，優雅，自尊，友誼，... 這些人生素質。

1970年秋天，任太太第一次叫我到她的辦公室，調查我的客戶的一些數字。我是一個市場代表，只是剛剛從大學畢業。當我把手上的文件交給任太太時，只見她神速的手指，在辦公桌上的大木算盤飛躍著，彈指間，馬上出現數字的結果。我用一張空白紙張，寫下所有相關數字，並逐一計算。任太太耐心地等待我的計算。看到我的數字結果後，任太太給了我一個非常親切的笑容，那笑容是我記憶中最美好的獎勵。之後，我更加努力地工作，回報她感謝她--接受我和培養我。

任太太很重視態度: 對事，能有條不紊，有組織; 對人，優雅大方。儘管監督整個企業的每位客戶的數字，她的辦公桌上總是那麼乾淨，整潔; 那些來回往返的書信和文件，我真不知道她放在哪裡? 這個有條不紊的想法，甚至在她的容貌外表上可以明顯看到。有時，在任太太的辦公室裡，數字工作告一段落後，我們聊天交談，她不吝給我她的建議，無論是在辦公室或家裡，任太太希望我的外表不能太馬虎。直到今天，我仍然試圖趕上她這個希望。不論何時何地，要落落大方，它是一種藝術。

有一次，我與廠商在電話通話中，恰巧任太太要找我，所以我縮短與廠商的電話交談。當我走進任太太辦公室，她親切地告訴我，我應該對廠商說“我要與任太太明確數字”，而不是“任太太要與我明確數字”。我非常驚訝她的順風耳和千里眼，可以遠遠知道我與廠商的電話對談內容。她試圖教我更加獨立，更加自信，提高我的自尊心。

儘管日後，距離遙遠，任太太依舊試圖了解我嫁到國外後的生活情形.她始終關心我的一切，希望我經常寫信與她分享生活點滴。任太太對員工十分地關心照顧和慷慨。何其幸運，能夠為她和她的先生工作，我們彌足珍惜這些難得的回憶。

There are very few people in life that make a profound, everlasting impact on you. Mrs. Jen was one such person. She was a boss, a coach, a mentor, and above all a friend. Patience, organization, class, self-esteem, friendship; these are some of the traits Mrs. Jen taught me in my time working with her.

I was called into Mrs. Jen's office in the autumn of 1970 to investigate some numbers of my client. I was a market representative and just freshly graduated from University. As soon as I handed over the papers, her very fast moving right fingers had already figured out the numbers in her big wooden abacus on her desk. While I had to write down all the related numbers in line on a piece of blank white paper and calculated one by one. She patiently waited for my calculation. When she saw my numbers, she gave me a very huge warm smile which is the best reward that I have ever remembered. I worked harder since our first meeting, in order to thank her for her kindness to accept me and train me.

Organization and class were always important to Mrs. Jen. Despite having to oversee the numbers for every client across the entire business; her desk was always so clean and neat that I wonder where these letters, papers, and files went. This idea of organization even was evident in her appearance. Sometime, when we had done our numbers in her office, she chatted with me and gave me advice to watch my appearance and not be too sloppy either at office or at home which I am still trying to catch up to this day. It is an art to be graceful wherever and whenever we are.

One time when I was on the phone with the vender and I got a message that Mrs. Jen wanted me; so I cut the phone conversation short. When I walked into Mrs. Jen room, she kindly told me that I should say “I want to straighten numbers with Mrs. Jen” instead of “Mrs. Jen wants to straighten the numbers with me.” I was very surprised of her thousand-mile-ears which can hear things at distance. She was trying to teach me to be more independent, more self-confident, and raise my self-esteem.

Despite being thousands of miles apart; Mrs. Jen wanted me to write her and keep her posted. She was very generous and greatly cared about her employees. We are very lucky to have worked for her and her husband and we treasure these golden memories the rest of our lives.